Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) led members of the North Carolina delegation, including Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Representatives Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Wiley Nickel (NC-13), and Alma Adams (NC-12), in calling for federal funding for the Raleigh-to-Richmond high-speed rail line through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program.

“The intent of the Raleigh to Richmond Innovating Rail Program is to advance the development of the federally designated Southeast Corridor by providing engineering design for infrastructure improvements and construction of the S-Line, a critical missing link in the Southeast network. This Program will also support network resiliency for freight as well as expanded high-performance intercity rail service from Raleigh, North Carolina to Richmond, Virginia and beyond,” the Members wrote. “This subsequent step of incremental engineering and construction prepares the regions for future improvements and services along the rail line that will provide economic development, job growth, and enhanced mobility opportunities to underserved and growing communities.”

The Raleigh-to-Richmond rail line has been decades in the making. Once completed, the line could cut train travel times between Raleigh and Richmond by about an hour, helping to drive economic growth in the region. In June of 2022, North Carolina lawmakers announced $58 million in federal funding for the line. Congresswoman Ross has consistently joined her colleagues in advocating for additional federal funding to support this critical project. 

Full text of the letter is available here.